Third-quarter net income totaled $64.4 million, or $1.88 per diluted share, compared with last year's $67.5 million, or $1.98 per diluted share. Columbia attributed the decrease in part to a higher effective tax rate, which it said cost the company 11 cents per share in earnings this quarter.

Sales for the quarter ending Sept. 30 were $545 million; down from $566.8 million last year. Changes in currency exchange rates reduced sales about 2 percentage points, the company said.

Income from normal operations, though, was up 1 percent, to $87.8 million.

Globally, sales were down 40 percent in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) this quarter compared to compared to last year's third quarter and 13 percent in Canada. Columbia executive attributed the steep EMEA drop in part to higher-than-usual Sorel sales in Europe last year.

Columbia executives directed analysts attention to two events in the previous quarter that could not be seen in top-line or bottom-line results:

The company on Aug. 7 announced a joint venture with its longtime distributor, Swire Resources, starting in Jan. 1, 2014. The partnership is seen as bolstering Columbia's growth in one of largest potential geographic markets where, the company says, it is already the largest outdoor brand in China.

In June, Columbia unveiled Omni-Freeze Zero, a fabric that reacts to perspiration to make the wearer feel cooler. Columbia's subsidiary, Mountain Hardwear, has introduced its own line with the same fabric, called Cool.Q ZERO. Both are expected to be available next spring, and Columbia executives hope the innovation can help the company expand its warm-weather sales.

It was clear throughout Thursday's conference call that last year's mild winter continues to bedevil Columbia. Executives said earlier this year that retailers had cut back on their usual cold-weather footwear and apparel orders in part because they were reacting cautiously to a possible repeat this winter.

Even if the season arrives in a more typically cold, wet and sloppy manner, Columbia does not figure to benefit in sales, Boyle said.

Analyst Kate McShane of Citibank, asked in a post-earnings conference call, "how nimble are you to change if weather changes?"

Not very, Boyle responded.

"We made our bet and have our inventories in place," he said, adding, "We're locked and loaded with what we've got."